Iridescent Lagoon A Day in the Life...

Cisco sensed that he'd found the right region to stop in. He'd traveled so many miles and although he was still hale and hearty, his body was telling him to be still for a while. He'd stopped here last night, in the cover of darkness, his search for a purpose having driven him long after the sun went down. He'd made his way to the water, sated his burning thirst and lay down. The next thing he knew was the sun was beginning to rise and the birdsong beckoned him to wakefulness.

The sight that greeted him was truly amazing and he could appreciate the beauty more than most. The water was perfectly still, unmoved by even a whisper of a breeze. Yet it seemed alive, alive with the colors bursting forth with the rising of the sun. The sky was brilliant with a myriad of colors and those hues were reflected on the water. It almost seemed as if the storm of warm reds, oranges and even pinks radiated out to the land surrounding the lake. Almost as if shining through a stain glassed window.

Cisco was humbled at the sight and he felt the pull to stay right where he was for a bit. Who wouldn't want to wake up to such a sight every day? With that thought, Cisco rose up, a bit stiffly, and stretched his long and lanky form, opening his jaws in a great yawn and gave himself a good shake to finish off the job. He moved forward and drank deeply of the cold water and caught sight of his reflection. He finally noticed that his coat had thickened, covering his thin form and giving him the appearance of a more solid wolf than he really was. Not so with his long thin legs. They appeared thinner than ever. With a shrug he grinned at the incongruity of his winter appearance.

He finished his drink and felt the blood pumping through his seasoned form. The freezing water had certainly done it's job and now at least he felt invigorated enough to start the new day... a day in the life of Cisco Moriel, lonely wanderer...

(This post was last modified: Dec 27, 2012, 02:27 PM by Cisco.)

          While beauty might have been sought in those who admired lagoons for their colors and ambience, typically Ecco D'Oliva wasn't fond of lagoons in the Far North. "Lagoons" in the subterranean North were either entirely frozen over, or carried lonely drifting glaciers. Ecco didn't take to admiring the ambience of certain regions due to the fact her survival was her number one priority of her life to date; perhaps if she would have remained in her more pampered time of life, viewing the beauty of Nature would have been recognized. On this morning, however, Ecco stumbled upon the largest body of water that existed in Relic Lore, and couldn't stop to stare at the tranquil waters emerging from the foliage of surrounding fauna.

          Ecco was common to rise with the morning sun as well. Due to her already small stature, her mass had been greatly depleted over time. There was so much her thermal pelt could do for protection; the addition of a healthy percentage of body mass often worked well in even the most freezing of circumstances, but just skin and bones beneath fur did little for the female than for her to coil into herself as much as she could. The D'Oliva slept during the freezing nights to conserve warmth and energy, and in the day moved in the path of the sunlight to soak in what rays of warmth she could while moving and keeping her muscles warm in that method. Her stopping periods were brief, and already Ecco was drifting to the shoreline of the lagoon's waters, taking more than her fill with gulping laps.

          The lone female drank until her stomach felt heavy and cold within, and withdrew from the shoreline with a shake. Her peripheral vision failed to recognize the gray male that stood not too far from where she was located, and when a sweep over of her amber eyes observed the area around her then, the male appeared to be doing a similar recreation as her. He held the bulk of a large male, covered in cream, russet, and black. Her nose only told of his identity and affiliation from their distance, which he smelled just as much as the pine and Nature as Ecco did herself. No pack. Ecco seemed to run into a lot of wolves like herself lately, and wondered why there was such a concentration of lone wolves versus pack wolves. The only pack she encountered, she was chased from the outskirts of their borders. Perhaps it was the tight security of the packs here that kept the loners well at a distance, and weren't welcoming to the outsiders like them.

          Ecco felt oddly sociable, despite how kept to herself and socially awkward she grew once she left home. There was always that longing feeling of companionship deep within, and decided to take her chance with at least an acknowledging statement. Ecco approached the male, albeit keeping a comfortable distance when she was close enough to see finer details. Her tail hung limp, her body poised in relaxation, not showing any outwardly signs of threat. "We're much too common here, it seems. What, do you need to be born into the packs here to even have a chance?" Who knew if he really even knew this to be true, but it was at least an icebreaker. A meek smile crossed her muzzle, her attempt at sociability slightly awkward, but at least putting the effort forth.

The seasoned male looked around, once he was done with his morning stretch and drink. He found that, although he loved mornings, he seemed to take a bit more time to get going. At his age, he could afford to take it easy though, having gone through the mindless go, go, go stage long ago. He took a leisurely look around, calmly taking in his surroundings. It didn't take long for his soft brown eyes to light on a dark young female getting her own morning drink a ways around the lagoon.

Before long, she spied him too and to old man wondered how she would react to his presence. It seemed that he would find out soon enough for she started his way just then. He watched with great curiosity as she approached. As she herself was showing no signs of aggression, he let a small smile appear on his pale muzzle and his tail waved gently behind his lean form. When she was close enough to speak comfortably, she came to a stop and addressed him with a question that made his smile broaden. Indeed.

With a small laugh he said, "Perhaps, but I can claim no actual knowledge for this region young miss, as you are the very first soul that I have met here. Although, I must say that it is a pleasure to meet you! I am Cisco Moriel, formerly of the Yukon." He did not give the name of his beloved pack for it was still too painful, even now, to think of all that he had lost to the wildfire. As he spoke, he took in her gaunt form and was already considering the possibility that they might have a hunt together. She was obviously in need of more solid sustenance than the bellyful of water that she'd just consumed.

          The male's name was Cisco Moriel, and Ecco instantly relaxed in his presence. Although Ecco would have never guessed Cisco held quite a bit of age and seasoning to him, the contours of his face and smile told the D'Oliva he was a kind soul, a wanderlust like herself. Cisco was apparently new to the Lore like herself, stating how there was no knowing of what the systematics were of the packs already reigning in the valley. One element that stood out from Cisco's introduction was of his origins from the Yukon. The Yukon was the westernmost and smallest of Canada's three federal territories, and it was right next to Alaska. Ecco journeyed through the Yukon for quite sometime in migration South toward the direction of Relic Lore. "Ah, the Yukon, huh? You were our neighbors, next to the Alaskans. What part of Yukon, exactly?" Ecco questioned right off the bat. Some old pack mates left her birth pack and rumor was they relocated in the Richardson Mountains of the Yukon (which, by word of her grandparents, was a spacious area with forever rolling fields of gold).

          The D'Oliva shook her head suddenly, a bashful grin appearing on her muzzle. Cisco introduced himself, and Ecco cared nothing more than to learn what region of the Yukon he was from. Then again, Ecco hadn't came across another individual of the Far North ever since she departed from Alaska, so the common ground with herself and Cisco was easy to grab her attention. "Pardon me. Name's Ecco D'Oliva. Originally from Gravina Island, Alaska." Ecco countered with her own introduction. Then, with a sway of her tail and her bashful grin turning more broad, her amber eyes glinted with her following words. "Can't begin to say how much of a pleasure it is myself to be speaking with someone from my neck of the woods." Ecco breathed, for her heart yearned to reconnect with those individuals of the Far North again.

Cisco couldn't help a small laugh at her excitement upon discovering that he was from the Yukon. Apparently she was from the west as well, but considerably farther north than he. He saw her get a bit flustered when she finally remembered to introduce herself and finally offered her name. "Ecco D'Oliva, the pleasure is all mine. I believe that we were once distant neighbors. I hail from the far southwestern region of the McKenzie Mountains. And now it seems that we are much closer neighbors. His tone was welcoming and friendly.

Since the tragedy that took his entire family, the older man had interacted little with other wolves along the way, fearful of getting too close and losing someone else that he loved. Commons sense had finally overruled his fears and his natural gregariousness was set free. He loved to be around others and he figured that it was high time that he found some friends to keep him company in his golden years. Young Ecco seemed to be a fine opportunity to acquire his first new friend here in Relic-Lore. He gave her a mischievous smile and asked, "Would you care to keep an old man company and go on a morning hunt with me? Just for small game, these old legs are a bit stiff these days!" He played up winter's effect on his old bones just a bit, since he could easily see that her own condition was a bit below par. Smaller game would be better for both of them, all around.

Forgive me for taking so long to respond to this. I promise I'll move this to my priority threads to pick up the pace from here on out. <3

          McKenzie Mountains. Amber eyes lit up with the recognition of the region. "I know exactly where that is." Ecco expressed enthusiastically. The tip of her tail quivered in a sway. "Some former pack mates of ours journeyed there. What a small world, huh?" Ecco then quipped, as for two wolves such as themselves who could have been separated worlds apart by the distance of the far North, here they were meeting upon mutual grounds. For the first time in a long time, the D'Olive felt as if she was warming up to a strange faster than normal. Ecco grinned when Cisco made light of their connectivity by their habitats, easily falling carefree into the tone of his welcoming, friendly voice.

          Cisco suggested a small hunt be in order, to which Ecco herself was quite thrilled he would ask of such an invitation. Well, then again, she grew slightly self conscious of herself in the moment. Here she was, a standing entity of skin and bones, and even for Cisco's age he probably had a lot more takedown power than Ecco ever would with starvation out in the wild by herself this entire time. The gesture and invite was friendly enough; who would be a fool to turn down a hunting opportunity anyway? "Not if you don't mind a frail, weak female like myself tagging along. I can run fast, though." Ecco suggested, a shrug of her dark shoulders. At least she gave the credit of being good at something. There was not much strength in her weary muscles, but her paws were breakneck for speed. Trimming her own fat content made her a lean, swift, agile canine against the fastest of prey.

He laughed good naturedly at her enthusiasm and smiled at the young thing, even as he felt a pang at what she must have gone through on her own to be in such a sad state of health. She seemed surprised, yet grateful, at his invitation to hunt. Although he had survived for quite some time as a loner now, he still knew that it was always easier to hunt with more eyes, ears and fangs on the target. He gave a mild 'humph' when she described herself as frail. Half- starved she might be, but she was young and resilient and given half a chance he had no doubt that she would easily pull her own weight.

"A fast runner, you say? Now that's a prime talent in a hunt and most welcome! Let us see what we can scrounge up together then, eh?" His light mood and easy manner would hopefully ease her doubts and together they would find a nice meal to share. Beckoning for her to follow, he led the way back towards the treeline, where he hoped to pick up the trail of some prey. Their proximity to the lagoon was a bonus, since all creatures would come to it for life-giving water. It was just a matter of finding a trail and following it back to it's owner.

He moved away from Ecco slightly and began weaving back and forth, scenting as he scanned the area with his still keen eyes. She could do the same in her area and they would cover twice as much ground. His hips ached a bit in the morning chill though and he hoped that she would be up to some speed for his would be a bit hindered this early in the day.

          Cisco expressed her knack of speed to be beneficial in light of hunting, in which the two would compliment themselves working as a team (him taking on the masculine strength, and her the feminine agileness). Ecco would waste no time following Cisco where he decided to lead them both, as the D'Oliva enthusiastically nodded her head in acknowledgment to Cisco and trailing behind. A sudden rush of life made the dark female come alive, her steps spry and swift behind Cisco. Her mouth was already beginning to salivate at the mere thought of catching a good meal to fill her stomach and satisfy her, although the hard work had to come first. She couldn't get too eager in the beginning, or else it would ruin concentration and calculation.

          Cisco veered off, and Ecco took the cue to start sniffing around in the opposite direction herself. The lagoon was full of moister and moss, something that wasn't necessarily too pleasant to a canine's nose (at least not for her). There was a plethora of scents to be easily hooked on from both creatures who were previously present or were just in the area of the Lagoon. The fresh dew amplified the mossy smell of the lagoon, but Ecco's ears perked up in interest when she thought she smelled something akin to caribou that might have passed here for a drink. Her nose hovered inches about the moist Earth, pinpointing the scent. "Cisco, over here." Ecco lifted her head, calling to him. "I think I might have found something recent. Come take a sniff?" When in doubt with your nose, it was always handy to borrow another's nose just to double check. It smelled distinctly like caribou, so hopefully this one was a winner they could pinpoint and track if Cisco thought it smelled like something to go after.

Cisco hadn't found anything yet and his attention perked up when Ecco seemed to have had better luck. He quietly trotted over and was quick to scent what she had. A relatively fresh caribou trail. He was about to dismiss it as simply too large for an old wolf and a weak fae to take down when and underlying scent caught his attention and the wheels in his old brain started turning. He smelled infection. Depending on the cause of the infection, they might have a chance. The creature might be weakened. Fresh healthy meat was the best, but the old and the sick prey were the lifeblood of the old and the sick predator. They would take what they could get...if they were very lucky!

He glanced at the gaunt young woman and her hopeful expression and gave her a small smile. "Well done! Normally, I would say this would be a bigger bite than we can chew, but take a deeper whiff of the scent trail. Do you smell that almost bitter putrid scent? That is the smell of infection and that means this beastie might just be weak enough for us to take down. It's a slim chance, but worth taking a look at." He allowed her a moment to analyze the scent, so she would remember the small lesson in the future, then he turned and led the way, tracking the sick animal.

As it turns out the caribou was not that far. Only about ten minutes at a brisk walk/trot from the lagoon. When Cisco got close enough to make out the beast, he could see why. It's left front leg was swollen to three times it's normal size from the knee down, resembling an over inflated balloon. There was a massive gash in it's knee from who knows what that was oozing a potent thick yellow fluid. Infection found. It wasn't putting any weight on the leg and it's hips and ribs were just starting to protrude. It was definitely sick and malnourished due to the fever, but the cow would certainly still be able to do some serious damage to he and Ecco. If they had both been in their prime, it wouldn't have been so dicey.

After long moments of taking stock of the prey's condition and thinking of what they had to work with, he finally came up with a plan that would hopefully keep either of them from getting injured. "All right, Ecco. She's injured and weakened, but not enough. Her bad leg will be the key. We are going to run her, taking turns, but I want her to have to make a lot of twist and turns to get away. We will tire her out, but what I'm counting on is that we make her lose her footing. Maybe even break a leg or two if we can make her fall. We do not close in until then. Does that make sense?"